Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.26800/LV-145-supl1-13
Diseases caused by group A streptococci: burden and public health significance during the COVID-19 pandemic
Anamarija Jurčev Savičević
; Nastavni zavod za javno zdravstvo Splitsko-dalmatinske županije
Marijana Čarija
Sanja Kurečić Filipović
Željka Karin
Duje Rakić
Sažetak
Aim: With the emergence of COVID-19, a decrease in the number of infections with respiratory pathogens was observed, which was most pronounced at the beginning of the pandemic. The aim of this work is to present the incidence of non-invasive and invasive diseases caused by group A streptococcus in Croatia three years before (2017–2019) and during three pandemic years (2020–2022). Participants and methods: All patients registered in the Register of Infectious Diseases of the Croatian Institute of Public Health with the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis, scarlet fever, erysipelas and bacterial meningitis, sepsis and all outbreaks caused by Streptococcus group A from 2017–2022 notified to the Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Division of the Croatian Institute of Public Health were included in this retrospective study. Results: A significantly higher number of reported streptococcal pharyngitis, scarlet fever and erysipelas was observed before the pandemic compared to the three pandemic years (p= 0.0086, p=0.0276, p=0.0017). A distinct seasonality was observed in streptococcal angina and scarlet fever only in the pre-pandemic era. With angina, the largest number of patients was recorded from September to December (p=0.0003), and with scarlet fever from January to March (p= 0.0039).
Regarding bacterial sepsis and meningitis caused by this pathogen, there is no significant difference in the number of reported patients in the two observed periods. A total of 35 epidemics of streptococcal pharyngitis with 277 patients and six epidemics of scarlet fever with 51 patients were recorded. Most epidemics were recorded in kindergartens (33 with 293 patients), with outbreaks in families following (six with 20 patients) and schools (two with 15 patients), which is in accordance with the dominant age distribution of the patients. Conclusion: A lower number of streptococcal infections was recorded during the three pandemic years compared to the years before the pandemic. As it is considered that with a reduction in the practice of non-pharmacological measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, an increase in the number of patients is possible, the burden of streptococci should be carefully and reliably monitored. Therefore, the burden of streptococci should be carefully and reliably monitored. Given the ossibility of serious forms of the disease, it is important that cases of scarlet fever and strep throat are treated immediately with antibiotics to limit further spread and reduce the risk of potential complications. Dominant occurrence of outbreaks in kindergartens points to the need for education of kindergarten employees, close monitoring of illnesses by the kindergarten health staff, and quick communication with the competent epidemiologist. As these diseases cannot be prevented by vaccination, they remain a continuous challenge for both clinicians and doctors of preventive medicine.
Ključne riječi
STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES; STREPTOCOCCUS GROUP A; SORE THORAT; SCARLET FEVER; ERYSIPELAS; CROATIA
Hrčak ID:
300753
URI
Datum izdavanja:
17.4.2023.
Posjeta: 1.109 *